Support



Feb. 19., 1952 J. J. KENNEDY SUPPORT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 18. 1947 H ILWb mm 5 1 1C. Z N

HTTO/Y EY Feb. 19, 1952 J. J. KENNEDY SUPPORT 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed NOV. 18, 1947 INVENTOR filth 1 561111424? Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORT John J. Kennedy, Richmond Hill, N. Y.

Application November 18, 1947, Serial No. 786,661

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to supports, and more particularly to supports which are normally concealed in a receptacle and are adapted to be retained in an outward position when in use.

The present invention is primarily concerned with supports for a memorandum pad or the like wherein the support is in the form of a drawer slidably disposed in a receptacle and is normally urged into an inward or concealed position by resilient means and is adapted to be retained in a predetermined outward position by locking means cooperating with the resilient means, whereby notes may be made on the pad. However, the features of the present invention may also be advantageously utilized in connection with supports for other purposes.

Accordingly, an obj eot of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which is simple and rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, and practical in operation.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the receptacle may be disposed in a vertical or horizontal position and the drawer is adapted to be retained in a substantially horizontal outward position.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the locking means rigidly sustain the drawer to facilitate writing on the pad carried thereon.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein functioning of the resilient means to return the drawer to its inward position is assured.

A further object consists in the construction and arrangement of elements whereby the foregoing objects may be accomplished.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a device in accordance with the invention, wherein the drawer is shown in its outward position;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 on Figure l, and illustrating the device being used in connection with a desk type telephone unit which is mounted thereon;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2, illustrating the device with the drawer in its inward or concealedposition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the cooperating locking means of the drawer and receptacle in detail;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the interior of an automobile illustrating the use of the device on the dashboard and on the back of the front seat;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 65 of Figure 5 illustrating a modified form of device of the type having a vertically disposed receptacle with the drawer shown in its inward or concealed position;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 6 with the drawer in its outward position;

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 88 of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the device shown in Figures 6 to 8, inclusive, illustrating the locking means of the drawer and receptacle in detail.

Referring to the drawings in detail, particularly to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, there is shown a receptacle l0 having side walls H and [2, a top I4, and a rear wall I5. The receptacle has an opening at the front thereof, opposite the rear Wall l5, and may be open at the bottom. The receptacle may be formed of any suitable material, such as sheet metal or a plastic molding compound or the like, and, as shown herein, may be in the form of a stand or base adapted to be supported on a table, desk or the like in a horizontal position and have a telephone desk set #6 mounted thereon and removably secured to the top 14 by screws, bolts or the like (not shown) passing through holes I! (Figure 1).

At the interior of the receptacle a pair of parallel spaced apart members [9 depend from the top I 4 and extend from the open end of the receptacle towards the rear wall thereof. Each of the members l9 has an inwardly facing flange 29 at the lower end thereof for slidably supporting a drawer 2| or the like about to be described in detail. An inner stop member I8 is secured to the underside of the top I4 adjacent and parallel to the rear wall I5 of the receptacle.

The top I4 of the receptacle has an edge portion 22 extending forwardly beyond the open end of the receptacle (Figures 2 and 4). An outer stop member 24 is secured to the top positioned slightly rearwardly of the edge portion 22, which stop member has a forwardly extending tonguelike projection 25 (Fig. 4) at the middle and forwardly extending legs 26 at each end thereof. The functions of the edge portion 22, the projection 25 and the legs 26 will become apparent hereinafter.

The drawer 2! comprises a shelf portion 2'! having depending flanges 29 at each side adapted to ride on the flanges 20, an upwardly extending portion 30 at the inner end, and a front wall portion 3i at the forward end adapted to close the open end of the receptacle when the drawer is in its inward position. (Figure 3.) A manually engageable member or handle 32 is secured to the front of the wall portion 3| to facilitate movingthe drawer from one position to the other.

In order to provide for automatically effecting movement of the drawer from its outer position (Figure 2) to its inner position (Figure 3), an extendible resilient member, such as a cylindrical helical spring 35, has one end thereof attached to the rear receptacle wall 15 and has the other end thereof secured to the rear of the front wall portion 3! of the drawer, whereby the tension of the spring 35 is adapted to cause the drawer to be pulled into its inner position. When this occurs, the upwardly extending portion 30 of the drawer engages the inner stop member If? of the receptacle (Figure 3) to limit inward movement of the drawer.

The spring 35 extends through a cylindrical sleeve or tube 36 secured to the underside of the shelf portion 2'! and extending in a lengthwise direction or longitudinally with respect thereto. This sleeve stores the major portion of the spring when in its collapsed position and serves to cause the spring to exert a force tending to pull the drawer inwardly in a straight line path. A bushing or annular member 31 at the inner end of the sleeve 36 serves to guide the spring into the sleeve as the spring retracts during inward movement of the drawer.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for retaining the drawer in a predetermined outward position such as illustrated in Figures l and 2, wherein the drawer is retained in a substantially horizontal position. Preferably, these means comprise cooperating tongue and groove formations, as about to be described.

The inner ends of the flanges 29 of the drawer each have a recess slot, or groove 39 (Figure 4) for receiving the edge portion'22 of the receptacle (Figure 2). Intermediate each flange 29 and the respective sides of the upwardly extending drawer portion 36 a groove or recess 40 (Figure 4) is formed for receiving one of the legs 26 of the outer stop member 24 (Figure 1). The upwardly extending portion 30 has an aperture, slot, groove, or recess 4! (Figure 4) at the middle thereof for receiving projection 25 (Figure 2) of the outer stop member 24. The foregoing described tongue and groove means are adapted to be moved into registry simultaneously and by reason of the tension of the spring 315 are maintained in such interlocking relation to thereby lock the drawer firmly in its outward position, whereby the drawer provides a substantially rigid support. Unlocking of the tongue and groove means may be effected by pulling the drawer slightly outwardly, and, upon releasing the drawer suddenly, the spring pulls the drawer inwardly.

As illustrated herein, the drawer is adapted to carry a memorandum pad 42 or the like upon which notes may be written, while the drawer is in its outward position. The pad may be in the form of sheets having apertures or slots (not shown) for receiving upwardly extending studs or posts 44 on the shelf portion 21 of the drawer and are further retained on the shelf by a plurality of fingers 45, preferably punched out of the shelf and bent upwardly and inwardly. A thumb or finger guide 46, to facilitate removing the top sheet from the pad is punched out of the shelf and is curved upwardly and rearwardly at the back end of the pad.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the device in accordance with the present invention is adapted to be advantageously utilized in vehicles, such as automobiles, aeroplanes, and the like. A device, such as described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, may be positioned on the dashboard, while a device, about to be described in connection with Figures 6 to 9, may be mounted in the back of a seat to enable a person riding in the vehicle to use the same.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 6 to 9, there is shown a device in accordance with the invention which is essentially like the device described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, except that the receptacle H1 is mounted and the drawer 2| is stored in a vertical position, as shown. (Figure 6.) Like parts of the two embodiments illustrated herein have the same reference numerals applied thereto and their construction and operation will be apparent from the foregoing description. The cooperating tongue and groove elements of the about to be described embodiment are constructed and arranged so that the drawer is adapted to be retained in a substantially horizontal outward position. (Figures 7 and 8.)

In order to accomplish the foregoing, the top H which is positioned to serve as a rear wall has a pair of. spaced apart stops or lugs 59 at the interior upper end thereof (Figure 9), which lugs have a reduced depending portion 5| and an outwardly extending stop face 5'2.

The drawer 21 has the shelf portion 21 provided with side flanges 29 and an upwardly extending portion 30, as mentioned hereinbefore. The flanges have notches or recesses 54 spaced from the ends thereof and the shelf portion has the recesses or grooves M1 at the respective sides of the portion 21.

When the drawer is positioned as shown in Figure 8, the upwardly extending portion 30 is disposed between the stops 50 and abuts the wall M, the ends of the flanges 20 extend into the notches 54, the depending portions 5| of the stops 56 extend into the recesses 48, and the portions 55 of the shelf 2'! between its sides and the recesses 40 engage the faces 52 of the stops 50. In this manner the drawer is rigidly retained in i. zontal position to serve as a support or the like.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, economically constructed, concealable support or the like, which can be advantageously utilized for a great variety of purposes. The drawer is rigidly retained when extended for use, and is adapted to be moved by the spring into its concealed position substantially automatically upon moving the locking means out of engagement. The devices illustrated herein are rugged in construction and can readily withstand any rough usage to which they may be subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a drawer including a shelf slidably mounted in said receptacle, tongue and groove means associated with the inner end of said drawer and the open end of said receptacle, said means being constructed and arranged to cooperate in retaining said drawer in a predetermined outward position with said shelf disposed outside of said open end, and an extendable resilient means connected to said receptacle at the end opposite to said open end and to said drawer for normally urging said drawer into said receptacle and serving to retain said drawer in its predetermined outward position while said tongue and groove means are in coopcrating relation, said shelf having an upwardly extending portion at the inner end thereof and said receptacle having a stop member thereon, adapted to be abutted by said upwardly extending portion, said upwardly extending portion being formed with a groove and said shelf having grooves at the sides of said upwardly extending portion, and tongue portions on said stop member for extending into said grooves.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a top with a forward extension, a drawer including a shelf slidably mounted in said receptacle and adapted to be withdrawn from the interior thereof and supported by said top in bearin engagement with said extension, tongue and groove means associated respectively with said top and the inner end of said drawer, said means being constructed and arranged to cooperate in retaining said drawer in a predetermined outward position with said shelf disposed outside of said open end, said shelf having an upwardly extending portion at the inner end thereof formed with a groove, said receptacle having a tongue portion adapted to extend into said groove, and an extendable resilient means connected to said receptacle at the end opposite to said open end and to said drawer for normally urging said drawer into said receptacle and serving to retain said drawer in its predetermined outward position while said tongue and groove means are in cooperating relation.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a

- top with a forward extension, a drawer including a shelf slidably mounted in said receptacle and adapted to be withdrawn from the interior thereof and supported by said top in bearing engagement with said extension, tongue and groove means associated respectively with said top and the inner end of said drawer, said means being constructed and arranged to cooperate in retaining said drawer in a predetermined outward o 6 position with said shelf disposed outside of said open end, said drawer having depending side flanges formed with grooves at the inner end thereof, said receptacle having a forwardly extending edge portion serving as a tongue and extending into said grooves, and an extendable resilient means connected to said receptacle at V the end opposite to said open end and to said drawer for normally urging said drawer into said receptacle and serving to retain said drawer in its predetermined outward position while said tongue and groove means are in cooperating relation.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle having an open end, a top with a forward extension, a drawer including a shelf slidably mounted in said receptacle and adapted to be withdrawn from the interior thereof and supported by said top in bearing engagement with said extension, tongue and groove means associated respectively with said top and the inner end of said drawer, said means being constructed and arranged to cooperate in retaining said drawer in a predetermined outward position with said shelf disposed outside of said open end, said drawer having an upwardly extending portion at the inner end thereof formed with a groove, said receptacle having a tongue portion adapted to extend into said groove and having stop means at the interior adjacent said end opposite said open end adapted to be engaged by said upwardly extending portion, and an extendable resilient means connected to said receptacle at the end opposite to said open end and to said drawer for normally urging said drawer into said receptacle and serving to retain said drawer in its predetermined outward position while said tongue and groove means are in cooperating relation.

JOHN J. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 407,882 Wilder July 30, 1889 779,718 Kline Jan. 10, 1905 1,120,050 Goggin Dec. 8, 1914 1,218,853 Goodney Mar. 13, 1917 1,220,601 Burks Mar. 27, 1917 1,238,514 Hartbeck Aug. 28, 1917 1,241,093 Collings Sept. 25, 1917 1,994,538 Segal Mar. 19, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10.567 Great Britain 1896 

